The background description provided here is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.
Electric motors are used in a wide variety of industrial and residential applications including, but not limited to, heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. For example only, an electric motor may drive a compressor in an HVAC system. One or more additional electric motors may also be implemented in the HVAC system. For example only, the HVAC system may include another electric motor that drives a fan associated with a condenser. Another electric motor may be included in the HVAC system to drive a fan associated with an evaporator.
Power factor is an indicator of the relationship between current and voltage in a circuit. Power factor may be expressed as a value between negative one and positive one. A power factor correction (PFC) system generally operates to increase a circuit's power factor toward one, thereby increasing the circuit's use of real power and decreasing the amount of reactive power the circuit stores and returns to the source.